Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing a pop-up shop event showcasing my jewelry at the Facebook Office in NYC.
It was definitely so much fun, and that office is one of the most modern and coolest workspaces that i’ve ever been to.
Special thank you to Facebook and my girl Goldie for having me!
Also, special thank you to BBR Productions for the footage!

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending #CURLFEST2017 , and if I could describe it in two words I would say that it was memorable & inspiring! Seeing so many natural haired beauties, in such stylish and unique outfits left me in awe! The beautiful ladies of the Curly Girl Collective started #CURLFEST 4 years ago, and seeing the turn out for this years festival makes me even more excited for next year!

Aside from all of the beautiful and stylish women with great outfits, there was an even bigger message being transmitted throughout the festival…Empowerment. Whether it be Women Empowerment, Black Empowerment, or Community Empowerment. Through the conversations, to the music everyone eluded love and togetherness and it was something beautiful to see. It empowered me to feel even more proud of who I am as a young black woman. For years growing up I wasn’t always taught to embrace my natural hair, after 2nd grade my mom started to use a relaxer on my hair because that’s what she grew up on. It wasn’t until when I got to Jr. High School I decided to grow it out because my hair was so straight and dull, and not to mention getting a relaxer burned like hell! But events like CURLFEST are amazing because women of all ages need that sense of community, especially when it comes to embracing different aspects of ourselves that make us unique and beautiful.

Now that I am a young woman I learned to embrace different natural characteristics about myself as much as possible, and I think that is something every girl should be taught, especially as they come into their own. I saw so many young girls wearing their curls and coils with pride, so beautifully alongside their parents and peers. This just shows that the stereotypical standards of beauty are changing for the better, and CURLFEST contributes to this change greatly by bringing the culture together to embrace everyones unique style and story.

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of being part of Senator Elaine Phillips’ Women’s Summit at Carey High School in Long Island. Myself and the 13 other panelists spoke to an audience of students, and their parents, about everything from finding your purpose to learning how to balance everything that life can throw at you. The panelists consisted of senators, educators / professors, community trustee’s, a nurse and a bank manager.

When I was given the question “What advice do you have for our grade school students in the audience especially when it comes to school and thinking about that important question of “what you want to be when you grow up?”, I was able to talk to the students about my evolution as a young women. From being in their shoes not too long ago, to now juggling a full-time job and a small business, things can change very quickly but it is always important to do what makes you happy and remember the direction in which the universe is taking you. Sometimes the route(s) won’t be easy but we all have our own set paths, and we have to discover what life has to offer so that we can feel happy and fulfilled.

Some of the most important things that I made sure to highlight were that you must make sure to be observant, remember your purpose (whatever it may be), and remember that your story is yours and no one can take that away from you. Also, with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything and make a strong impact on the world around you, you just have to BELIEVE!

I recently had the pleasure of collaborating on a project presented to me by two very dope ladies of multiple talents, K. Steele and Patrize Richards. Their project is geared around creatives explaining their most natural happiest state, and mine is creating. So it was only right that the three of us created this visual compilation.

“My most natural state is not being in a physical place…but a creative ABYSS.”

Check out the video starring me, Produced & Shot by K. Steele, Executive Produced & Creative Directed by Patrize Richards!
Jewelry by #Tatianailia (Pieces available in the online shop)!

I love love love Wale’s work as rapper / Hip Hop artist, especially because of the depth behind some of his lyrics. Words like ” Black is beautiful shorty, that you should know, don’t let America’s standards damage your African Soul…” uplift women like me because it makes me feel even more proud of who I am as black woman, and empowered to cherish my foundation. I also love how he is always down to support up and coming artists of other forms, like myself!

Simply put, thank you Wale! You are appreciated! Keep staying true to your art and the universe will continue to bless you!

Yesterday I had one of the most memorable nights of my life! I celebrated the 5 year anniversary of my line, Ilia by Tatiana Ilia, with close family, friends, and supporters of the arts! We had a live sax performance from the talented Marcus Miller, while DJ Monumental and DJ Marz rocked The Rosemont until past 11PM. Lavan Wright also blessed the spot with his phenomenal artwork, while myself, Natasha Taylor, and S.Garvey displayed beautiful jewelry and handmade garments and furs. Special shout-out to everyone that came through and showed love, I hope that you all had as much of an amazing time as me!

Please see PT. 1 of the footage from my 5YR Anniversary Party.
Special shout-out to the very talented Mike Mckay for capturing all of these beautiful pictures yesterday! Make sure to follow him on Instagram as well – @THEREELMCKAY! *Don’t forget to s/o the shooter! 😉

As the saying goes, time really does fly when you’re having fun! It’s pretty crazy to believe that I have been making jewelry and building my line for 5 years now. Although in the present moment it feels like a pretty long time, I have some time to go before I truly get to where I would like to be. In the meantime, come out and celebrate with me on Sunday, October 16th from 4PM-8PM at The Rosemont in Brooklyn, NY! As many of you know, i’m more than just a jewelry designer, I love everything arts and culture, so enjoy an afternoon filled with art, fashion, music, and amazing vibes. Btw – the event is free, you’re welcome! 🙂 xoxo